After a devastating knee injury, Houston’s explosive wideout eyes a comeback. With bolstered depth, the Texans prioritize long-term health to ensure C.J. Stroud regains his most dangerous vertical threat.
The Houston Texans have a star receiver in speedy wideout Tank Dell. They were unable to reap the benefits of the speedster's ability for much of last season.
Dell may have missed all of 2025, but his ability to contribute to the Texans this season is still possible. How soon Dell is able to return is still to be seen.
Joe Kiemen of NFL Analysis Network writes that the Texans should be patient in waiting for Dell to return from injury. Here's what Kiemen opined about the Texans' star complimentary wide receiver.
"The Texans finished 2025 with the 18th-ranked offense and 14th-ranked passing attack, and the shape of that offense showed exactly why Dell matters. Nico Collins was still the top target, but the unit lacked the extra burst and secondary threat Dell usually supplies.
That absence narrowed the offense around C.J. Stroud and made it easier for defenses to survive when the protection broke down. Houston did not just miss a receiver. It missed a player who changes how fast the field opens.
Ryans was explicit about the priority, saying the goal is to get Dell back in a ‘really good spot physically’ so he can stay there. That is a team talking from the perspective of contender management, not offseason urgency.
The Texans have been good enough to care about the postseason hurdle now. That makes a cautious rehab plan feel less like conservatism and more like practical roster planning."
Houston Texans wide receiver Jared Wayne (14) reacts after an injury to wide receiver Tank Dell (not pictured) during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn ImagesThe injury that sidelined Dell was gruesome. Dell tore four different ligaments in his knee in his ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus in a rare brutal injury. How the player will be able to play again is anyone's guess, but Houston has the ability to wait for him to return to full health. Kiemen asserts that the patience is there because of what the team already has in the way of depth at receiver.
The Texans offense did not improve dramatically at receiver this offseason, but they may have on the offensive line with several acquisitions through trade, free agency and the NFL draft. The more time star quarterback C.J. Stroud has to stand upright, the longer he will have to allow receivers to get open and make plays.
Houston has the ability to be patient in waiting for Dell's return. If the Texans receiver returns anywhere near form, Houston's offense will be a problem in 2026.